U.S., Iraq expect al-Qaida push next year

The United States wants to keep Special Forces troops in Iraq for the foreseeable future to help the government keep a lid on al-Qaida, officials say. Senior U.S. officials told The New York Times that the likelihood the terrorist group will try to re-assert itself once the bulk of U.S. forces are withdrawn has Washington and Baghdad on edge. "I cringe whenever anybody makes a pronouncement that al-Qaida is on its last legs," said Army Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan, the American military's top spokesman in Iraq. The vast majority of U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by the end of the year, leaving the Iraqi government with the task of heading off a potential resurgence by al-Qaida. The biggest concern is that the terrorist organization will use bombings and other attacks on civilians to try to stir up a civil war between Shiite and Sunni Muslims. The Times said al-Qaida is not expected to try to capture and hold territory, which will make them less vulnerable to counter-attacks. In addition, U.S. military commanders are concerned that Iraqi special forces won't have the night-fighting capability and intelligence-sharing they enjoy with the Americans. "It won't be as clean as when we were helping them do it," a U.S. official familiar experience with Middle Eastern militaries told the Times. "It is not like al-Qaida will have a free hand to do whatever it wants, but the Iraqis will do things that we would have advised them not to do." The Times said Sunday the Obama administration has been turning up the pressure on the leadership of al-Qaida in Iraq and is also increasing its vigilance against potential plots to carry out attacks outside Iraq. U.S. President Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will meet Dec. 12 to further discuss the security situation.